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Monday, May 16, 2016

Paruppu Podi with
steaming hot rice is food for the soul. It is a saving grace when we are not
feeling well or tired and lazy to cook an elaborate meal. Whenever we go to the
restaurants and order an Andhra meal, my hubby Yo completely relishes Paruppu
podi mixed with steaming hot rice and a dollop of ghee.

Nowadays, we
can buy Paruppu podi from the shops and they come in various permutations and
combinations and do taste good. But nothing can beat the aroma, the flavour and
the taste of the freshly roasted and ground podi at home.

Mix hot
steaming rice with some Paruppu podi and ghee or Gingelly oil and it’s a one
pot meal. Some fried and roasted papadam will do well with it.

There are
many variations to this recipe. Below is an absolutely divine recipe. This is
my grandmother’s recipe and I got this from my cousin sister. I made it for my
trip overseas and it was definitely a hit. Do try it and enjoy.

Ingredients

Toor Dal
(Split Pigeon Peas) – 1 Cup

Chana Dal – 2
tbsps (Split Bengal gram dal)

Red Chilly –
3 Nos.

Peppercorns –
1 tsp

Asafoetida –
¼ tsp

Salt as per
Taste

Method

Dry roast the ingredients till the dals turns into a golden brown color. Add in the salt and asafoetida.

Once it’s cool,
grind it into a fine powder.

Enjoy yummy
paruppu podi with hot rice and a dollop of ghee or gingelly oil.

Store the
remaining in an air tight jar for enjoying later.

Tips

·You
can add 1 tbsp of Urad Dal (Split Black Gram/ White lentil). Just roast along
with the above ingredients and grind.

·You
can add curry leaves, Wash, dry and roast along with the above ingredients and
grind. Gives a good aroma and is good for health too.

·You
can add Garlic. Just peel and roast 4-5 cloves of Garlic along with the above
ingredients and grind.

·You
can add 1 tbsp of Desiccated coconut powder (dry). This can be dry roasted and
added. (If you add coconut it won’t have a longer shelf life).

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

One
of my neighbors sells homemade Diwali sweets and savories. I always buy
something to support her effort. This time when I went to buy I saw her making
huge batches of Besan Laddoo. Immediately I was tempted to try them at home.
She was making the Fine Besan laddoos and I wanted to try the coarse variety.

So I bought the Coarse Besan from Mustafa. We
are fortunate to get the Coarse Laddoo Besan under the Pattu Brand.

My
Maharashtrian neighbor in India used to make the best besan laddoos that we
used to savor. She always used to sort and then grind the Chana dal in a flour
mill near our house. This would ensure no compromise on the taste. The quality of the besan flour is very
important as it is the main ingredient in the laddoos. The Coarse besan laddoos taste like panjiri
laddoos and also absorb less ghee which is good.

Ingredients

Coarse Besan – 3 cups

Powdered Sugar – 1 ½ cup

Ghee – 1 cup melted

Cardamom - 4 to 5

Cashews - ½
cup

Raisins – ½ cup

Method

In a wok (pan), add 2
tablespoons of ghee and roast the Gram flour (besan) evenly by continuously
stirring it with a spatula over a medium flame until a nice toasted aroma comes
out of it.

Be careful not to burn the
besan while roasting it as it will completely ruin the taste of the laddoo.

Roasting
the flour properly is one of the biggest challenges in this recipe. If the
flour is not roasted properly there will be a raw smell to the ladoos, It’s
also not good for health.

So roast until you begin to get the lovely aroma, the color would be a yellowish golden (See the picture below).

Let the roasted besan cool down. Keep it
aside.

Powder the sugar along with
the cardamom and keep aside.

Take the cooled down roasted
besan and mix with the sugar.

Transfer this mix to a big
plate. I usually take a big plate so it’s easy for me to mix. (See the picture above)

In a saucepan,
add in the ¼ cup ghee and to it add the Cashew nuts and Raisins and fry until
the raisins become plump and the cashew nuts get slightly toasted. Remove the
fried cashew nuts and raisins and keep them aside in a plate. Keep the melted ghee.

Now add the melted ghee.

Do not pour too much ghee while making the
balls, it’s better to pour little by little....Like how we pour water for
making sand play. If all the ghee is poured at one time, the mixture may become
very greasy and the flour may not bind well to shape the laddoo. The laddoos
will be soft and collapse as well. Take some Besan add the ghee and make balls.

This recipe is easy for beginners to follow. You can’t go wrong with the
measurements of ghee thanks to the coarse besan. Add enough ghee to help enable
to make balls. Once, you have added the ghee, make small tight balls out of the
mixture immediately. If your flour looks dry, add the ghee as needed little by little. And if your flour looks greasy,
do not add more ghee.

While making the balls, take one piece of
cashew and 1 piece of raisin and make a ball. This will ensure that every
laddoo gives u a piece of the cashew nut and the raisin.

Coarse Besan Laddoo is ready
for you’ll to enjoy!!!

Tips

• To
make the fine besan laddoo - Take the cooled down roasted besan and mix with
the sugar and run in the blender till it becomes one uniform mixture and follow
as above. The finer the blend the more
melt-in-the mouth the laddoo’s will be.

Monday, November 2, 2015

First of all “HAPPY
DIWALI TO ALL”. MAY THIS DIWALI BRING HEALTH, WEALTH & PROSPERITY TO ALL.

Diwali is a time for making and sharing goodies. The markets
are filled with colourful mithais and namkeens that look so tantalizing, that We usually overindulge in the goodies
and either put on loads of weight or become sick. This year I thought why not
make something which is guiltless. Who doesn’t enjoy guiltless snacking?

Earlier I had shared a recipe of the Patal Pohe Chivda in my
blog, (Click on the link below)

Traditionally in this recipe you have to deep fry all the ingredients
including the poha...then it’s very tasty.

But in my recipe, I had roasted the poha until crisp by
adding a little oil...rest of the ingredients I deep fried.

The problem with Indian snacks is, it’s difficult to make
them totally guiltless.

These days in Singapore we easily get many ingredients which
were not easily available when I landed here 15 years ago. I’m glad that an
influx of Indian migrants in Singapore have brought in a demand for things which is a
bonus for food bloggers and people who love cooking. I always go to Mustafa (a huge shopping centre
in Singapore) a week before Diwali to check out their stuff and this year while
browsing through I saw packets of Diet Poha and I thought Hey!!! This is
exactly what I wanted as I’m trying to watch my weight.

I even avoided adding Copra(Dried coconut
flakes) which is there in my previous recipe.

Here is my recipe, this can also be made on a regular basis
for a tea-time snack.

Ingredients

Diet Poha - 1 Kg.

Peanuts - 1 cup

Daliya (Roasted Gram Dal/ Chutney Chana dal) - 1 cup

Cashewnuts- 20-25 pieces

Golden Raisins - 20 -25 pieces

Chopped Green chilies - 12-15

Curry leaves - 5
sprigs (25-30 leaves)

Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons

Cumin seeds – 2 teaspoons

Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 3 teaspoon

Asafetida - 1 teaspoon

Salt as per taste.

Powder sugar - 2 teaspoon

Oil - 1/2 cup

Method

Diet Poha is very thin and fragile so it gets crumbled very
quickly. Take the poha and sieve it for any fine powder to be filtered leaving
only the flakes. Keep aside.

Diet Poha has very thin flakes so it gets cooked very fast.
I decided not to fry it and dry roast it instead. You can also put it in the
microwave. If in case you are cooking in the microwave, put the diet poha in a
shallow microwave safe dish and microwave it on high for 30 seconds only.

For those who don't have a microwave you can dry roast it in
a wok (Kadhai)on a very low flame till it becomes crispy. This needs attention else it can burn very
easily. Keep this Poha aside.

If you have roasted the poha in the microwave, then Add 2 tablespoons
oil in a big wok, add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds and
when they start spluttering, add in the green chillies and curry leaves, fry
them well. Then add in the diet poha, turmeric, salt and sugar and saute for
about 3 minutes. Keep aside.

Now in another wok fry all the ingredients one by one on a
low flame ensuring that you don't burn them. Fry the peanuts until golden and
split, then the daliya until golden, then the cashews until golden, Raisins
until plump. Preferably use a net to fry all this as it can catch all the
ingredients from the oil. Ensure that none of the ingredients become black. If
they become black throw them, don't use them in the chivda as the taste of the
chivda can spoil with it. Drain the oil well and mix all the ingredients that
you fried in a vessel with the diet poha.

Toss everything well with a light hand ensuring that you
don't break the thin poha flakes. Roast for another 2 minutes on a low flame
while mixing. Put off the flame and spread this on a newspaper or a big plate.
Let this get cool for some time then store it in an air - tight dabba(box). Your Diet Poha Chivda/ Low cal Chivda is ready for
some Guiltless indulgence.

Tips

If you do not have the confidence of adding the chilly and curry leaves to the tadka afraid of burning the tadka then you can fry them separately...after you fry all the nuts, you can fry these too also using a net in the oil and then mix with the mixture.

You can add poppy seeds to the tadka while adding mustard and sesame but Poppy seeds are banned in Singapore so I didn’t add them

You can add Puffed rice (kurmura) with Poha.

You can add red chilly powder instead of green chilies.

You can add citric acid or amchur powder for some sourness. I didn't do it in my recipe.

You can add deep fried garlic in the Chivda

You can deep fried onion to the chivda.

I have seen a recipe wherein fresh coriander seeds are roasted, pounded into a powder and added to the chivda for extra flavor.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Phool Makhana is Puffed dried lotus seeds, also known as Foxnuts.
Phool Makhana is very famous in North India during Vrat Season for making
kheer, sabji or just roasting it for snacking.It is considered to be very healthy
as its low in saturated fats and cholestrol content, Isn’t that nice to hear
you don't need to feel guilty while you munch on these super healthy crunchy
roasted phool makhana, it tastes a bit like popcorn but I tell you this is more
tasty and healthier...and you can prepare it in a jiffy.

I had seen Phool makhana used to thicken gravies in North
Indian curries. But that’s all I knew
about it. But when I came to live with the North Indians in Singapore, I saw
that they used it extensively during the fasting season. They made a kheer(Milk
dessert) out of it or used it in a vegetable or simply ate roasted Phool
Makhana like popcorn. Now, this variety impressed me the most as I love
popcorns.

Then again, when I googled on Phool Makhana...

I learnt that.......

1. Lotus seeds benefit the spleen, kidney, and heart.

2. The seed also has calming properties that alleviate
restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia.

3. It is also rich in calcium. It can be easily digested by
all the age groups.

4. It is a highly regarded herb for restoring sexual vigour
and youthful energy in older men.

5. It regulates blood pressure, relieves numbness and aching
near waist and knees.

6. It is Suitable for arthritis, helps fighting impotency
and premature aging.

Anti – aging :-
Fox nuts are rich in antioxidants which works as age lock system and makes us
younger for much longer. Fox nuts are effective for individuals with high risk
of premature ageing, premature grey hair,wrinkles and other signs of aging. It reverses the
aging process over a period of time......This definitely has caught my
Attention

Diabetes :-
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, which is accompanied by high blood glucose
levels. It is a result of improper functioning of the pancreas, which secretes
the insulin hormone. Fox nut is a sweet and sour seed These seeds contain
starch and protein which is excellent for diabetes .

AYURVEDA AND UNANI
(BRANCHES OF MEDICINE)texts have accepted its aphrodisiac and
spermatogenic properties.

Herbs of phool makhana are considered worth in vajikarnana
therapy.

Makhana helps in Cardiac Protection and builds the action in
dysentery and frequent urination.

Phool makhana has astringent property, hence it gives relief
from diarrhoea and helps to improve the appetite.

It helps in increasing the quality and quantity of semen,
also prevents the premature ejaculation, increases the libido and also helps in
female infertility.

Phool makhana is sweet to neutral in nature. Therefore,
helps to detoxify the spleen, reinforce the kidneys and nourish the blood.

TCM

According to principles of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine),
fox nut is used to strengthen spleen and kidneys. Makhana helps in conditions like arthritis,
erectile dysfunction and premature aging. These seeds have antioxidant
properties and help in digestion, rejuvenates respiratory system and prevents
frequent urination.

“25 to 30 grams” phool makhana is considered as a healthy
food/diet for the whole family.

Wow!!!!.......So many benefits...then why not add it into
our daily lives....and I decided to make the healthy popcorn (Roasted Phool
Makhana).

My kids loved it and kept munching. I tried adding some
flavours too like chat masala, red chilly powder, pepper powder etc. They liked
the original lightly salted the best though.

Ingredients

Makhana - 2 cups

Oil/Ghee – 2 tsps

Salt as per taste

In case you want to add color / flavors

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp (Yellow color)

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (Red Chilly flavour)

Paprika powder – ½ tsp (Paprika flavour)

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp (Pepper flavour)

Chat Masala powder - 1 tsp (Masala Flavour)

Tomato powder – 1 tsp (Tomato Flavour)

Cheese powder – 2 tsp (Cheese Flavour)

Or any flavour you please. You can make a combo of flavours too....

Method

In a wok, add ghee and once the ghee is hot, add the phool
makhanas and roast them. Don’t leave them unattended on the fire as they are
very delicate and tend to burn fast. Keep roasting till it’s light golden in
color. Check if it’s done by sampling
one...If it’s crunchy then it’s done. Put off the gas.

Add salt and toss. Fill a nice bowl with the crunchy phool
makhanas and enjoy this healthy snack

In case you want to add flavours then,

After sampling add in the spice powders of your choice and
toss. Serve and Enjoy.

If you’ve made a big batch then let the Phool Makhana cool down
completely then store them in an airtight container. Phool Makhana has a very
good shelf life, you can store them in air tight container for many months. Keep
them away from the moisture and direct sun light.

Tips

·The plain salted tastes better when roasted in
Ghee

·After you add the spice powders don’t toss with
the gas burner on as the spice powders will catch the bottom and burn spoiling
your batch of makhanas.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Mojito (read Mohito) is a traditional Cuban
highball. Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five
ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint.

Main alcohol: Rum

But since I don’t consume alcohol I will
share with you this wonderful non-alcoholic recipe which is very refreshing and
has health benefits too.

Note the recipe of Mojito served on the
rocks.

Ingredients

Mint leaves – 6-8 fresh mint leaves

Soda water – ½ glass Club soda

Lime juice – 2 tablespoons (freshly
squeezed)

Sugar – 2 teaspoons

Ice cubes – As required (For one glass of
Mojito you require one glass of ice)

Method

In a tall glass, Add lime juice, sugar and about
6-8 mint leaves. With the help of a spoon or a cocktail muddler crush the mint
leaves into the lime juice and sugar. This releases oils from the mint and
helps the sugar dissolve into the lime juice. Stir well then pour into a glass
filled with ice, leaving about an inch of room then top with club soda. Garnish
with extra mint leaves and a lime slice.

Serve on the rocks; poured over ice with a
straw

You can make this for a family of four with
the quantity as below

Freshly squeezed lime juice - ½ cup

Sugar - 3 – 4 tablespoons

Fresh Mint leaves – About 30 plus some for garnish

Ice – 4 cups

Soda water - ½ cup

Lime slices – 4 for garnishing.

Here are some health benefits of drinking
this mocktail.....

Click here to read the benefits of drinking
soda water…..Trying to make weak indulgences guiltless!!!!

Mint is not just a mouth refresher, it’s
health benefits include digestion, nausea, headache, and asthma.

Enjoy this Refreshing non alcoholic drink.
You can serve it in parties and they make an excellent alcohol- free cocktail
for adults.

Monday, October 6, 2014

This is
probably one of the easiest sweets to make. This is also one of the first
sweets I ever attempted to make. I would call this a beginner’s sweet or a
no-fail recipe for anybody. Just follow the recipe step-by-step and you will
have one the easiest sweets to prepare for Diwali or any festival or just to
gobble like that. I also call Rava Laddoo one of the easiest sweets as it is
prepared with ingredients easily available at home like Semolina, sugar and
ghee. Rava Laddoo in Tamil is known as Suji ke Laddoo in the North and Ravyacha
Laadoo in Maharashtra.

Here is
the recipe for Rava Laddoo

Ingredients

Semolina/Rava/sooji
- 1 cup

Sugar –
¾ cup - 1 cup (depending on how sweet you like)

Ghee - ¼
cup

Milk (optional)
- 1 tblsp

Cardamom
powder (elaichi) – 1 tsp

Cashew
nuts – 2 tbsps sliced in halves

Raisins
– 2 tbsps

Method

In a
wok (pan), add the semolina and roast evenly by continuously stirring it with a
spatula over a medium flame until a nice toasted aroma comes out of it. Be
careful not to burn the rava while roasting it as it will completely ruin the
taste of the laddoo. Let the roasted rava cool down. Keep it aside.

Now
powder the sugar and keep aside.

Now
take the cooled down roasted rava and mix with the sugar and run in the blender
till it becomes one uniform mixture. Add in the cardamom (elaichi) powder and
run it in the blender along with the rava and sugar.

Now
transfer this mix to a big plate. I usually take a big plate so it’s easy for
me to mix. In a saucepan, add in the ¼ cup ghee and to it add the Cashew nuts
and Raisins and fry until the raisins become plump and the cashew nuts get
slightly toasted. Add this to the rava and sugar mixture.

Sprinkle
the milk and mix thoroughly (This step is optional). In case you are using
milk, heat up the milk slightly and add in warm milk to the mix. Milk is added
to enable binding the mixture well enough so as to make the laddoos easily. I
haven’t used milk in my recipe. I have made the laddoos completely with ghee.
Adding milk reduces the shelf life of the laddoos.

Once,
you have added the ghee, make small balls out of the mixture immediately, make
tight balls. Rava Laddoo is ready to enjoy!!!

Tips

•While blending the semolina, ensure that it is blended to a fine powder
which will enable to make the laddoo easily. If the mix is coarse then it won’t
be easy to make the laddoos.

•The finer the blend the more melt-in-the mouth the laddoo’s will be.

•In case, you are not using milk and find it difficult to bind, add in
more melted warm ghee to the mix until it’s easier to make the laddoos.

•Sugar can be added according to taste. 3/4th cup is just ok
not overly sweet. If you like it more sweet you can add 1 cup of sugar.

•You can reduce the ghee by 2 tbsps in the recipe and it still turns out
fine.

The biological name of Cluster
beans is Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. It is an annual legume and the source of guar
gum. It is also known as Gavar, Gawar Phali, Guwar or Guvar bean.

This is yet another weekend
special from my kitchen. The reason it’s cooked over the weekends is simply
because the process to cook this dish is quite lengthy and time consuming. But
it’s one of my absolute favorites. There are some dishes which amma (my mom)
knows; that can make me happy any day and this is one of it.

Now, cluster beans is called
Cheenivarikkai at my place. I guess it must be a kerala iyer (Tam brahms from
Kerala) name.I don’t know how many
people call it as that. I didn’t know for very long that it is also known as
Kothavarangai.

Paruppu usili is made in
different houses differently but I absolutely adore my mom’s recipe and follow
it to the T.

I even heard that many people use
Bengal Gram (Chana dal) to make paruppu usili, but my mom uses Toor Dal (Pigeon
Peas).

Apparently many people don’t like
Cluster beans and it seems in yesteryears when old people would go for
Pilgrimage to Kashi (Explanation below) they would usually give up on Cluster
beans.

Kashi Vishwanath temple - A visit to the temple and a bath in the
river Ganges is one of many methods believed to lead one on a path to Moksha (salvation)
hence people from all over the nation try to visit the place at least once in
their lifetime. There is also a tradition that one should give up at least one
desire after a pilgrimage at the temple.

When I asked my Grandma why they
would give up on such a lovely vegetable, my grandma would say, because Cluster
Beans is usually very gassy and as you age your digestive systems would become
weak so it would be best to avoid it.

Thank god we are not in those
times and I probably may not have to give up on this lovely vegetable. There
are some people who steam the paruppu (Dal), but I don’t, here is the recipe
for all of you to enjoy.

Ingredients

For the
Kothavarangai Mezhukkuvaratti (Poriyal)

Cheenivarikkai / Kothavarangai
(Cluster Beans) – 750 gms chopped

Oil – 2 tsps

Mustard seeds – 1tsp

Udad seeds – 1 tsp

Red Chilly – 1 broken in halves

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Asafetida – a pinch

Salt as per taste

Shredded Coconut – 2 tbsps

For the Paruppu
Usili

To grind to a coarse paste:

Toor Dal - 1 cup

Dried Red Chillies – 1

Green Chilly – 1

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Asafetida – a pinch

Salt as per taste

Mustard seeds – 1tsp

Udad seeds – 1 tsp

Method

Rinse & soak 1 cup Toor dal
for about 1-2 hours.

Trim the edges and chop cluster
beans finely. Rinse it well. In a Kadhai (wok), Add 1 tsp of oil, when it is
hot, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, Add udad dal and the
dried chilly broken in half. When the udad dal becomes slightly pink, add the chopped
cluster beans, mix well, ½ tsp of Turmeric powder, a pinch of Asafetida, Salt
as per taste,stir and close with lid
and cook on low flame till it is cooked. Once it’s cooked, Transfer to a plate.Drain the Soaked toor dal and
grind it coarse in a blender with 1 dried red chilly and 1 green chilly, a
pinch of turmeric, a pinch of asafetida and salt as per taste. Keep aside

In the same Kadhai (wok), Add 1 tsp
of oil, when it is hot, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle,
Add udad dal, when the udad dal becomes slightly pink, add the coarsely blended dal mixture. Keep sautéing until
the mixture separates and become golden brown. Once that is done, add the
cooked cluster beans and mix well. Now, finally, add in the shredded coconut
and mix well. Check for salt at this point as well. Incase there is salt you
can add some at this point as well. Cook for 2-3 minutes on sim.

The
Cheenivarikkai / Kothavarangai Paruppu usili is ready. Enjoy with Rasam and
rice.

Variation to
the above method

Steam method – After you coarse grind the dal
paste. Boil water in an idli pan, spread the coarse mixture on the steamer
plate and steam it for 5-7mins, once it cools down, crumble it with your hands
and set aside.

Now heat oil in a wok, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to
crackle, Add udad dal, when the udad dal becomes slightly pink, add the add the
dal mixture & sauté till golden brown, then follow as above.

Tips:-

Ensure that the dal mixture is blended coarse, if it becomes a fine paste then you will not get the perfect texture. To ensure that it doesn’t get ground fine, make sure to drain the water completely.

If you
are using the steaming method then follow as above. Please ensure to
spread the mixture and then steam it as it crumbles easily.

This
recipe can be used to make French beans, flat beans (Avarakkai), Long
beans, Banana flower (Vazhapoo) etc.

Friday, July 4, 2014

This is a
vegan recipe. I was also careful to use the NON GMO Soya bean Tofu. (Kindly do
click on the word "NON GMO Soya bean" hyperlink to learn more about Non GMO Foods).There are
many varieties of Tofu available in the market. For this recipe choose the
medium firm ones. In Singapore you can buy it everywhere and they are known as
Tau kwa.Soya bean is
high in calcium which is good for your bones and teeth. Tau Kwa also
has a high amount of Isoflavones which allows one to prevent heart disease. FDA
states that consumption of 25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low
in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. With
these kind of health benefits isn’t it good to add tofu to your vegetables?

This dish is
very easy to cook and very healthy as it’s packed with proteins and vitamins. I
would call it a crunchy crispy delight. You can eat this with brown rice/ white
rice/ Noodles or just dunk into a bowlful of this nutritional delicacy.

Stir fry
vegetables with soya sauce is made in many south asian countries with a
variation to the sauces / spices used.

Below is the
Indo-Chinese, Indo-thai, Indo-Pinoy fusion version. (Indo because there is an Indian twist to it)

You can add
any vegetables to it like Broccoli, Celery, Mushrooms, Cauliflower….the list of
variations is endless. You can rustle this up with whatever you have at home.

MethodCut the Tofu
into cubes Deep fry the tofu until medium brown (about 5 to 8 minutes). Set
aside. You can avoid frying and can add the tofu at the end when the vegetables
are almost done. Tofu cubes are soft and tend to break, hence, frying would be
a good option to keep its texture and shape good.

Chop 1
onion, tomato and the ginger and make a coarse paste in the blender. Keep
aside.

Now, heat a
pan and pour-in 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add the cumin seeds, when it
splutters, Sauté the onion. Once it’s translucent, add in the blended coarse
paste of the Onion- Ginger Tomato and sauté well, until you see the oil come
out of the paste indicating its cooked well. Now add the fried tofu and
stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add all the vegetables and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
Put-in soya sauce, salt as per taste, chilly powder and pepper as required.
Cook in steam till it’s done. The vegetable shouldn’t be overdone. It should be
cooked but crunchy.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

HOME REMEDIES FOR MOUTH ULCER AND SWELLING IN GUMS FOR TODDLERS / BABIES
Toddlers / Babies can get mouth ulcers and swelling in gums too. This may also lead to bad breath and your toddler / baby becoming cranky.
There are a few home remedies that can be administered before you take your baby to the doctor. Home remedies are safe and harmless but they are not a substitute for a doctor's consultation.

You can apply coconut milk during the day time to the insides of the mouth and the gums. It will be soothing and help in healing. (FOR TODDLERS & BABIES)

Add salt to warm water and rinse your mouth with it. The proportion of salt should be high i.e., 3 tbsp of salt in one glass of warm water. Gargle with this water and let it stay in your mouth for at least 30 seconds. Swoosh the water around inside your mouth so that it covers your teeth and gums thoroughly. Do not rinse your mouth with plain water immediately if you want to have relief from the pain for longer time. (FOR TODDLERS ONLY)

If your baby suffers from swelling and infection in your gums more often, make it a habit of brushing your baby's teeth 3 times a day. Do not use a brush, but use your forefinger to brush gently. Please ensure that your finger nails are cut. Do not forget to make him rinse his mouth after every meal. Carry out proper hygiene. (FOR TODDLERS ONLY)

If the swelling does not subside for a couple of days and your baby is not eating properly or crying, see a dentist and go through the treatment prescribed.

Monday, April 21, 2014

This year when I saw raw mangoes arrive in the market I decided to
pickle them. Yo(my husband is very fond of pickles) and nowadays the pickles we
buy in the market have a pungent flavor to them, no matter which brand you buy,
eventually you wear off the brands as you start feeling this. So, I thought
better make them at home. I was not sure
whether I should make Avakkai(the south Indian style) mango pickle or the
Gujarati style Mango pickle so I asked all my Facebook friends and somehow got
tempted to make the Methi Rai Kuria Mango Pickle. I absolutely adore the Mango
pickles that my Gujarati neighbor used to make in big porcelain pickle jars
during the summer months back in India. Not only would the home made ones have
a lot of Masala, but the mangoes would also be quite soft unlike the ones we
buy from the shop.

I read on some websites that this pickle is made either with methi na kuria
(crushed fenugreek seeds) or rai na kuria (split mustard seeds). I decided to
add both because I like the masala more than the mango itself.

If I can make these at home anyone can make it…It’s incredibly easy to
make. The main preparation is the
ingredients, once everything is ready, it is only assembly.

Before you start the process of assembly you need to take the following
precautions.

·Work in an open space with the windows open.

·Don’t sit under the ceiling fan lest the masala
blows into your eyes and nose.

·Wear plastic disposable gloves, because some
people have sensitive hands and they may find their hands burning with the
chilly powder for a long time.

Method

First wash the mangoes, wipe them and then cut them in big chunks, I
made slightly smaller chunks. After you cut don’t wash them, just let them dry
out on a newspaper in the sun for a while. Meanwhile make your other
ingredients ready.

Lightly Roast the whole fenugreek seeds and when cool, crush them
coarsely as shown in the picture.

Lightly Roast the Broken Yellow Mustard seeds, this is readily
available in the market. No need to grind this, you can use it as it is.

Heat the oil lightly till it is warm (not up to the smoking point) and
let it cool. This process is to remove the raw smell of the oil. This step
maybe avoided in the readymade pickles available in the market hence the
pickles start to give a pungent odor.

As you can see in the picture I kept all my ingredients ready.

I mixed the salt, red chilly powder, crushed fenugreek seeds, the
roasted broken yellow mustard seeds and asafetida together in a big open plate,
After which I added the cut mango chunks.

Ensure everything coats well.

Finally add in the Oil and give it a good
mix.

You can mix using a spatula or your hand.

Once you feel everything is
mixed well, slowly, gently take spoonfuls and drop into a sterilized porcelain
or glass jar/bottle. Every day keep the jar in the sun for 2-3 hours.

The pickling process starts as the Mangoes start to marinate in the
masala.

Every day in the morning open the jar and with a long dry spoon, give
it a good stir.

In about 10-15 days the pickle is ready for you’ll to eat.

I have not used any preservative. The oil and salt are natural
preservatives and will help preserve the pickle.

This pickle can be stored for a year but you have to be careful not to
use a wet spoon while you scoop out small portions for your immediate everyday
servings.

Store this in a cool dry place. Enjoy this lovely condiment with your
food.

Tips

·Preferably use Kashmiri chilly powder as it
imparts a lovely red color to the pickle.

·This pickle can also be made with ½ cup rai na
kuria (split mustard seeds) only.

·This pickle can also be made with ½ cup methi na
kuria (crushed fenugreek seeds) only.

·If you wish, you can use drained baby mangoes in
brine, in which case, you should reduce the quantity of salt in this recipe.